ESL CONNECT | Better Meetings B2

How to Make Meetings Better

This B2 lesson helps students discuss why meetings often feel pointless and how to make them more useful, inclusive and productive.

Lead-in:

What makes a meeting useful? What makes a meeting a waste of time?
What is the most common problem you experience in meetings?
Should every meeting have a strict time limit?
How can a chair make sure quieter people are included?

Open video on YouTube

Prep Part 1

Match the meeting words before watching the first part.

Questions

1

If someone is droning on,...

2

If a meeting feels pointless,...

3

If someone is fully prepped,...

4

If a meeting has an agenda,...

Answer options

Watch Part 1

Watch from 0:00 to about 1:16. Focus on pointless meetings, preparation and agendas.

Watch on YouTube

Open the first part of the video.

Open video

Tapescript Gap Fill: First Minute

Listen to the first minute of the video. Complete the tapescript with the 8 missing words.

Complete the text

We've all been here. You're stuck in a . Graeme from Accounts is droning on and on. Half the people are either sneakily looking at their or mentally planning their next holiday. Most people are wondering what the point of this meeting is, and why couldn't it have been an . The truth is, lots of meetings aren't for lots of people. The average office worker spends 27 days a year in meetings that they believe to be , according to one survey. And even if your job isn't office-based, you may well find yourself in a more meeting in a school, a church or a sports club. So how do we make meetings better? Firstly, is key. Whether you're chairing the meeting or just , you'll get a lot more out of it if you're fully prepped.

Missing words

Use each word once.

Comprehension 1

Click each question to reveal the answer.

According to the video, 27 days a year.

In a school, a church, a sports club or a local parish council.

Preparation is key.

An agenda, and maybe even a question in advance.

It gets people focused and participating more quickly.

Vocabulary from Part 1

1The average office worker spends 27 days in meetings they think are .

2A chair should send out an .

3A question in advance helps people get .

4People get more out of meetings if they are fully .

Prep Part 2

Match the ideas before watching the second part.

Questions

1

If someone dominates a meeting,...

2

If someone speaks up,...

3

If a meeting overruns,...

4

If you follow up after a meeting,...

Answer options

Watch Part 2

Watch from about 1:16 to the end. Focus on participation, hybrid meetings, timing, breaks and follow-up.

Watch on YouTube

Open the second part of the video.

Open video

Comprehension 2

Click each question to reveal the answer.

Because extroverts may dominate and introverts may need support to share their views.

Say something early in the meeting to establish your voice and presence.

Names are visible and people can raise a virtual hand.

They can increase stress and make people less productive.

Thank people for attending and send notes with action points.

Vocabulary from Part 2

1Extroverts should not the meeting.

2Introverts should be able to share their .

3Hybrid meetings can be less .

4After the meeting, send notes with action .

Vocabulary Review

Review key B2 meeting vocabulary from the video.

Word / phrase	Meaning	Example
drone on	speak for too long in a boring way	Graeme from Accounts is droning on.
pointless	without a clear purpose	Many meetings feel pointless.
office-based	done mainly in an office	Not every job is office-based.
chair a meeting	lead or manage a meeting	If you are chairing the meeting, send an agenda.
agenda	a list of topics for a meeting	Send out an agenda in advance.
dominate	control too much or speak too much	Extroverts should not dominate.
speak up	express your opinion	Introverts may find it hard to speak up.
hybrid meeting	a meeting with some people online and some in person	Hybrid meetings can be less effective.
overrun	continue longer than planned	Meetings often overrun.
follow up	contact people after an event	Follow up with notes and action points.

Vocabulary Gap Fill

Drag the correct word or phrase from the box into each sentence.

1A meeting without a clear purpose can feel .

2The person who leads and manages the discussion will .

3If one participant talks too much, they may the conversation.

4When a meeting continues longer than planned, it has started to .

5After the meeting, the chair should with notes and action points.

Grammar: Advice and Recommendations

Use B2 structures to give advice about better meetings.

Structure	Use	Example
should / shouldn’t + verb	general advice	The chair should send out an agenda.
make sure + clause	strong practical advice	Make sure everyone has a chance to speak.
It’s a good idea to + verb	soft recommendation	It’s a good idea to send notes afterwards.
You might want to + verb	gentle suggestion	You might want to speak early in the meeting.

Grammar Exercise 1: Complete the advice

1The chair should out an agenda.

2Make sure everyone a chance to speak.

3It’s a good idea to with a question.

4Introverts might want to early.

5The chair shouldn’t let one person the discussion.

Grammar Exercise 2: Reveal the correction

The chair should send out an agenda.

Make sure everyone has a chance to speak.

It’s a good idea to send notes after the meeting.

You might want to speak early in the meeting.

Grammar Exercise 3: Sentence Transformations

Use “should”.
The chair needs to prepare an agenda.

Use “make sure”.
Everyone needs a chance to speak.

Use “It’s a good idea to”.
Send action points after the meeting.

Use “might want to”.
Introverts can say something early.

Discussion

Use the vocabulary and advice structures from the lesson.

Why do many people think meetings are pointless?
What should a chair do before a meeting?
How can a chair stop extroverts from dominating?
How can introverts make their voice heard?
Are online meetings better or worse than in-person meetings?
What is the best way to follow up after a meeting?

Useful Language

Giving advice	Talking about problems	Talking about solutions
You should... Make sure you... It’s a good idea to...	The main issue is... People often feel... Meetings can overrun when...	One way to solve this is... The chair could... After the meeting, people should...

Role Play: Fix the Meeting

Practise giving advice about a badly organised meeting.

Situation: A team has weekly meetings that always overrun, have no clear agenda and are dominated by two people.

Student A: Team Member

Explain the problems. Say why the meetings feel pointless and stressful.

Student B: Meeting Coach

Give practical advice using the grammar structures from the lesson.

Challenge

Use at least four phrases from the grammar section.

Team member language	Meeting coach language
The problem is... People keep... We never...	You should... Make sure... It’s a good idea to... You might want to...